The creative process (at least for us humans) is intended to involve strain and sweat (and sometimes blood and tears). All of this invests the finished product with value, and brings growth and development to the artist/writer. AI shortcuts cheapen the process and the product.
Based on casual googling (including an AI response) it looks like the size of the earth relative to the size of the observable universe is the same order of magnitude (10^-19) as the size of an atom to the size of the Large Hadron Collider. Not saying that God can't build a big beautiful universe just to have a big beautiful universe. But if God _had_ to build a big beautiful universe in order to build Earth, I'm sure particle physicists could relate.
While I agree with the fascinating connection you make, you could also argue that a A.I. creates some kind of surplus. So many content creators and artists are scared that their work has to compete with AI, that AI will steal their work and that we will be flooded with cheap fake inauthentic content. While I understand this sentiment, I'm also currently learning to have an “abundance mindset” - there's enough space for everyone to create, to remix and to share. Focus on making good products yourself, sometimes even with the help of AI (getting feedback, inspiration, looking for synonyms or alliterations for a catchy title etc.) and share what you think is worth saying. Good art will usually find its way to people and resonate with some, even if it's few.
Still, I wholeheartedly agree with your idea that AI often takes away the important creative process and only focuses on simple results, undermining our sense of beauty and wonder.
Random question-my brain has been on the “abundance agenda” topic for a little while now. Are the words “surplus” and “abundance” functionally synonymous, broadly speaking? Or to put it another way, if someone said that here you were proposing a theology of abundance, instead of a theology of surplus, in what ways might you agree/disagree?
That's a good question. I feel feel the word "abundance" has a connotation that I'm not totally conversant with. I know Ezra Klein and others are talking about it. The main reason I picked the word "surplus" is that it avoided the negative connotation of excess but also is somewhat ironic: The universe is only surplus to US, but not to God.
The creative process (at least for us humans) is intended to involve strain and sweat (and sometimes blood and tears). All of this invests the finished product with value, and brings growth and development to the artist/writer. AI shortcuts cheapen the process and the product.
God does things "exceedingly abundantly" (Ephesians 3:20). I'd call that "surplus"!
Based on casual googling (including an AI response) it looks like the size of the earth relative to the size of the observable universe is the same order of magnitude (10^-19) as the size of an atom to the size of the Large Hadron Collider. Not saying that God can't build a big beautiful universe just to have a big beautiful universe. But if God _had_ to build a big beautiful universe in order to build Earth, I'm sure particle physicists could relate.
Love this...the God who is able (and even delights in) doing immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)
While I agree with the fascinating connection you make, you could also argue that a A.I. creates some kind of surplus. So many content creators and artists are scared that their work has to compete with AI, that AI will steal their work and that we will be flooded with cheap fake inauthentic content. While I understand this sentiment, I'm also currently learning to have an “abundance mindset” - there's enough space for everyone to create, to remix and to share. Focus on making good products yourself, sometimes even with the help of AI (getting feedback, inspiration, looking for synonyms or alliterations for a catchy title etc.) and share what you think is worth saying. Good art will usually find its way to people and resonate with some, even if it's few.
Still, I wholeheartedly agree with your idea that AI often takes away the important creative process and only focuses on simple results, undermining our sense of beauty and wonder.
Great point about AI and its denial of surplus.
Thanks for the article. I think there is a word missing in this sentence???
“ There is no logical reason why an infinite and personal could not create a universe overwhelmingly vast relative to his image-bearers.”
Ope, you're right! An important word at that. Thank you!
(this post was NOT generated by AI)
I noticed the same omission. I like to let a few of those things slip into my writing just so others know it's not AI...
Also borrowed you lead for my article...Hope it is OK
https://open.substack.com/pub/jonathanbrownson/p/hearing?r=gdp9j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
This is great! Thanks for writing.
Random question-my brain has been on the “abundance agenda” topic for a little while now. Are the words “surplus” and “abundance” functionally synonymous, broadly speaking? Or to put it another way, if someone said that here you were proposing a theology of abundance, instead of a theology of surplus, in what ways might you agree/disagree?
That's a good question. I feel feel the word "abundance" has a connotation that I'm not totally conversant with. I know Ezra Klein and others are talking about it. The main reason I picked the word "surplus" is that it avoided the negative connotation of excess but also is somewhat ironic: The universe is only surplus to US, but not to God.